Nov. 7 (UPI) — Windblown wildfires in California have prompted thousands of people to evacuate their homes as flames whipped up surprisingly fast Thursday, officials said.
Homes have burned and 14,000 people are evacuating “life-threatening” conditions in Ventura County, where the Mountain Fire erupted Wednesday morning and quickly became a dangerous blaze.
So far, it has devoured nearly 20,000 acres, driven by rogue, 60 mph Santa Ana winds and dry, dusty conditions — weather conditions so extreme that forecasters issue a red-flag alert warning of potentially “life-threatening” fires.
The fire started in the Somis area on Wednesday morning and tore through 30 square miles by midday Thursday. It destroyed dozens of homes in its path, sent residents to local hospitals and forced evacuations in the Camarillo, Ventura, Santa Paula and Fillmore areas.
Fire officials said “numerous” structures had been damaged and that more remain threatened. As of midday Thursday, the fire was 0% contained and the cause remains under investigation, CalFire said.
Firefighters were using air tankers to try to beat back the flames but dry and windy conditions made that difficult.
Farther south in California, 18 million people, including those in the Los Angeles area, remain under red-flag warnings, which warn of dangerous fire-weather conditions.
The incidence of wildfires is picking up across the country, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
“Currently, 14 large wildfires have burned 486,348 acres in 10 states. About 1,250 wild land firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents, including 1 complex incident management teams, 21 crews, 100 engines, and 6 helicopters. Wild land firefighters and support personnel continue to assist with hurricane relief efforts in North Carolina,” the NIFC said.
